Image capturing apparatus

ABSTRACT

An image capturing apparatus capable of interchanging a lens unit includes a processing unit configured to perform image correction processing based on data acquired by an acquisition unit. In the image capturing apparatus, the acquired data includes information of a first shooting condition, configured in a discrete manner, information of a plurality of second shooting conditions provided for each information of the first shooting condition, and correction information corresponding to a combination of the information of the first shooting condition and the information of the second shooting condition.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/817,059, filed Nov. 17, 2017, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/385,977 (now U.S. Pat. No.9,848,115), filed Sep. 17, 2014, which is a U.S. national stageapplication of International Patent Application No.: PCT/JP2013/001794with international filing date Mar. 15, 2013, which claims foreignpriority benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-063901 filedMar. 21, 2012. All of the above-named patent applications are herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a technique for correcting imagedeterioration caused by the optical characteristics of a lens unit.

BACKGROUND ART

An image capturing apparatus such as a digital camera has been used invarious purposes, and there is an increased demand to enhance quality ofan image output from the image capturing apparatus. Image deteriorationcaused by the optical characteristics of an image capturing lensemployed for forming an object image is one factor which hinders theimage quality enhancement of the image. Marginal light attenuation,distortion aberration, and chromatic aberration of magnification can begiven as examples of the optical characteristics which causes the imagedeterioration although these optical characteristics may vary dependingon the optical system of a lens unit. The optical system from which theoptical characteristics causing the image deterioration are completelyeliminated has been difficult in recent years since miniaturization ofthe lens unit has been required. Therefore, there is provided atechnique for correcting such deterioration in image quality byperforming image processing.

It is very difficult to completely extract the optical characteristicsof the lens from the image. Therefore, in order to perform suchcorrection through image processing with high accuracy, opticalcorrection data used for the above correction, which indicates theoptical characteristics of an imaging optical system, is stored in amemory in the image capturing apparatus. In particular, in a single-lensreflex digital camera, the optical correction data for a plurality oflens units (imaging optical systems) that can be attached to thatsingle-lens reflex digital camera has to be stored. In addition, even inthe same imaging optical system, the optical characteristics may varydepending on the optical parameters such as a focal distance, a shootingdistance, and a diaphragm value. Therefore, the optical correction datacorresponding to a plurality of optical parameters is stored in a memoryof the image capturing apparatus, so that a correction value conformingto shooting condition at the time of shooting is calculated from theoptical correction data.

In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-286482, the distortionaberration data serving as a discrete point on an imageheight-distortion aberration curve which indicates a relationshipbetween the image height (a distance from a central position of theimage) and the distortion aberration is held, and a correction value iscalculated from an image height-distortion aberration approximateequation generated from the distortion aberration data.

As described above, the optical characteristics may vary depending onthe optical parameters such as the focal distance, the shooting distanceand the diaphragm value. There is also provided a method in whichcorrection values corresponding to the entire optical parameters thatcan be acquired at the shooting time are stored as the opticalcorrection data. However, with this method, the size of the opticalcorrection data will be remarkably large, so that a large-capacitymemory is required for the image capturing apparatus and a signalprocessing apparatus.

Further, with the conventional technique discussed in Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 2005-286482, a problem relating to the size ofthe optical correction data and the correction accuracy, which ariseswhen a shooting range varies according to the focal distance, has notbeen solved.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

[PTL 1]

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-286482

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Therefore, an advantage of some aspects of the present invention is toprovide a technical idea for reducing the size of the optical correctiondata while maintaining high-accuracy correction.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an image capturingapparatus capable of interchanging a lens unit includes an acquisitionunit configured to acquire data for image correction processing from thelens unit, and a processing unit configured to perform image correctionprocessing based on the data acquired by the acquisition unit. In theimage capturing apparatus, the acquired data includes information of afirst shooting condition, configured in a discrete manner, informationof a plurality of second shooting conditions provided for eachinformation of the first shooting condition, and correction informationcorresponding to a combination of the information of the first shootingcondition and the information of the second shooting condition.

Further features and aspects of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of exemplaryembodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features,and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an imagecapturing apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of optical correction data.

FIG. 3A is a graph illustrating an example of an optical characteristicwith respect to a shooting distance.

FIG. 3B is a graph illustrating an example of a correction value withrespect to a shooting distance.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of correction processingaccording to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating optical correction data according tothe first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating examples of the optical characteristicand the correction value with respect to a focal distance according tothe first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is a graph illustrating the optical characteristic with respectto a shooting distance according to the first exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 7B is a graph illustrating the correction value with respect to ashooting distance according to the first exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7C is a graph illustrating the correction value with respect to ashooting distance according to the first exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is a table illustrating a shooting distance division pointaccording to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating the correction value according to thefirst exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a calculation method of the correctionvalue according to the first exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 11A is a graph illustrating a generated correction value accordingto the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11B is a graph illustrating a generated correction value accordingto the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12A is a graph illustrating correction results according to thefirst exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12B is a graph illustrating correction results according to thefirst exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12C is a graph illustrating correction results according to thefirst exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12D is a graph illustrating correction results according to thefirst exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12E is a graph illustrating correction results according to thefirst exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12F is a graph illustrating correction results according to thefirst exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an imageprocessing apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of correction processingaccording to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a table for identifying opticalcorrection data according to the second exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the inventionwill be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

A first exemplary embodiment to which the present invention is appliedwill be described below.

Example of Basic Configuration of Image Capturing Apparatus

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration of an imagecapturing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. An image of an object (not illustrated) is formed on an imagesensor 102 within a camera main unit 100 through an imaging opticalsystem of a lens unit 101. An opening diameter of a diaphragm 101 a iscontrolled as an F-number shooting state setting. In order to performfocus adjustment according to an object distance, a lens position of afocus lens 101 b is controlled by an autofocus (AF) mechanism or amanually-operated manual focus mechanism, both of which are notillustrated therein. An in-lens unit storage unit 101 c stores theoptical correction data necessary to correct through image processingimage deterioration caused by the optical characteristics.

In the image capturing apparatus, the lens unit 101 is detachable fromthe camera main unit 100 so as to be interchangeable with other imagingoptical system. An image sensor 102 converts image-forming light into anelectric signal. Then, an analog-digital (A/D) converter 103 convertsthat electric signal into a digital signal. Thereafter, the digitalsignal is input to an image processing unit 104. The image processingunit 104 is configured with an optical correction unit 111 and otherimage processing unit 112 that performs predetermined processing. Theoptical correction unit 111 corrects the image deterioration caused bythe optical characteristics of the image capturing lens by performingimage processing. Further, other image processing units 112 perform aseries of development processing such as pixel interpolation processing,luminance signal processing, and color signal processing.

A lens unit control unit 106 controls the lens unit 101 and performsdata communication. A state detection unit 107 acquires the shootingtime information such as a focal distance, a shooting distance, and adiaphragm value of the imaging optical system, via the lens unit controlunit 106. Further, the lens unit control unit 106 acquires the opticalcorrection data stored in the in-lens unit storage unit 101 c of thelens unit 101, and stores that optical correction data in a storage unit108.

The optical correction unit 111 generates, from the optical correctiondata stored in the storage unit 108, a correction value corresponding tothe shooting time information acquired by the state detection unit 107.This correction value is used to correct the image deterioration causedby the optical characteristics.

An output image that has been processed by the image processing unit 104is stored in an image recording medium 109 in a predetermined format. Animage on which a predetermined display processing has been performedafter going through the optical correction processing, and an image onwhich the optical correction processing is not performed may bedisplayed on a display unit 105.

A system controller 110 performs a series of control processing, and thelens unit control unit 106 mechanically drives the lens unit 101according to an instruction from the system controller 110.

Optical Correction Processing

Details of the optical correction processing will be described based onthe flow of optical correction processing illustrated in FIG. 4 which isperformed by the image capturing apparatus according to the presentinvention.

Acquisition of Optical Correction Data

In step S201, the system controller 110 acquires the optical correctiondata that is necessary to perform optical correction processing. Asdescribed above, this processing is controlled by the lens unit controlunit 106, which transfers the optical correction data stored in thein-lens unit storage unit 101 c to the storage unit 108 in the cameramain unit 100. The optical correction data is transferred at the timingat which a camera is activated and the timing at which the lens unit 101is attached to the camera main unit 100. Further, the optical correctiondata is stored in the storage unit 108 when the correction processing isexecuted.

A configuration of the optical correction data transferred to thestorage unit 108 from the in-lens unit storage unit 101 c is illustratedin FIG. 5. The optical correction data is configured of two regions, aheader region (a) and a correction value storage region (b).

Header Region (a)

The header region (a) includes a division point number storage region(a-1), an information number storage region (a-2) for each focaldistance, and a division point information storage region (a-3).

Instead of causing the optical correction data to store the correctionvalue corresponding to all optical parameters such as the focaldistance, the shooting distance, and the diagram value acquired at theshooting time, the correction information according to a target opticalparameter is stored as the optical correction data by dividing anddiscretely selecting each optical parameter. The information relating tothe target optical parameter is stored in the division point informationstorage region (a-3), and the correction value corresponding to thatoptical parameter is stored in a correction value storage region (b).

The division point number storage region (a-1) is a region for recordinga point number in which each parameter is stored discretely.

A graph in FIG. 6 illustrates examples of variability characteristics ofmarginal illumination according to the focal distance for the imageheight portions 10 mm and 13 mm, and further illustrates examples ofcorrection values (division points) stored in the optical correctiondata. In FIG. 6, a dotted line indicates illumination as an opticalcharacteristic, a plot indicates a point in the optical correction datawhere a correction value is held, and a solid line indicates a resultacquired by linearly interpolating the correction value. Theillumination value illustrated in FIG. 6 is a value in which theillumination of the central portion of the image is taken as 100. Inthis example, in order to follow up the variation in marginalillumination according to the focal distance, the focal distance for thecorrection value held in the optical correction data is set to be fivepoints, z0 through z4. Therefore, “5” is stored in a focal distancedivision point number zNum of the division point storage region (a-1).As described above, in order to follow up the variation in the opticalcharacteristic with respect to the optical parameter, a division pointis set according to the optical characteristic, and a region for storingthat division point number is provided in the header region of theoptical correction data. Thus, the minimum number of division pointnumbers can be set in consideration of the correction accuracy requiredfor the image capturing apparatus.

The division point number has been described by taking the focaldistance as an example. The description thereof is also applicable tocases where the shooting distance and the diaphragm are taken, and thusthe division point number according to the optical characteristic ofeach optical parameter can be set thereto. In FIG. 5, the division pointnumber of the shooting distance is stored in a shooting distancedivision point number dNum whereas the division point number of thediaphragm is stored in a diaphragm division point number fNum.

Example of Variation in Shortest Shooting Distance at Each FocalDistance Division Position

FIG. 7A is a graph illustrating an example of variation in the shortestshooting distance at each focal distance division position. The shortestshooting distance described below indicates a minimum value of theobject distance where the object image can be captured. In this example,the shortest shooting distance becomes the maximum value y1 at the focaldistance z2, and the shortest shooting distance becomes the minimumvalue y0 at the focal distance z3. In a case where the shortest shootingdistance varies according to the focal distance as described above, theshooting distance division point is set according to the focal distancedivision point. FIG. 8 is a table illustrating examples of the shootingdistance values when the focal distance division points z0 through z4respectively store the shooting distance division points. Each value isan inverse number of the shooting distance (cm) while “0” indicatesinfinity. In a case where the division point information illustrated inFIG. 8 is stored in the optical correction data, “5” is stored in ashooting distance information number zdNum for each focal distance, ofthe information number storage region (a-2) for each focal distancewhereas the information of the shooting distance division pointaccording to the focal distance is stored in the shooting distancedivision point information d[0][0] through d[zdNum-1] [dNum-1] of thedivision point information storage region (a-3) in FIG. 5.

Inverse Number of Shooting Distance and Illumination Characteristic atImage Height Portion

A graph in FIG. 7B illustrates the inverse number of the shootingdistance and the illumination characteristic at the image heightposition 10 mm for the focal distance z2 illustrated in FIG. 7A, andfurther illustrates an example of the division point stored in theoptical correction data. By limiting a range of the shooting distanceregion which stores the correction value to a range in which the imagecan be practically captured, the graph illustrates the state where thecorrection value follows the illumination characteristic according tothe shooting distance with high accuracy. As described above, in a casewhere the shortest shooting distance varies according to the focaldistance, the optical correction data can store a correction value thatfollows the optical characteristic by setting the division point of theshooting distance at each focal distance. However, in a case where thevariation in the shortest shooting distance according to the focaldistance is small, or in a case where the influence of the variation inthe shortest shooting distance can be ignored, it is not necessary toset the division point of the shooting distance at each focal distance.In such a case, “1” is stored in the shooting distance informationnumber zdNum for each focal distance while the shooting distancedivision point information is only stored in d[0][0] throughd[0][dNum-1]. Accordingly, the size of the optical correction data canbe further reduced.

As described above, the shooting distance division point is set for eachfocal distance. Likewise, the diaphragm division point can be also setfor each focal distance. In this case, the diaphragm information numberzfNum for each focal distance and the diaphragm division pointinformation f[0][0] through f[zfNum-1][fNum-1] are employed.

Other Division Point Number

FIG. 7C is a graph illustrating an example in which the division pointnumber of the shooting distance is set to “3” instead of “4”.Accordingly, while the follow up accuracy of the correction value withrespect to the optical characteristics is taken into consideration, thesize of the optical correction data can be reduced by reducing thedivision point within the required correction accuracy. In this case,“3” is stored in the shooting distance division point number dNum.

Correction Value Storage Region (b)

Next, the correction value storage region (b) will be described. Thecorrection value corresponding to each combination of the opticalparameters stored in the division point information storage region (a-3)is stored in the correction value storage region (b) as the correctioninformation. FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating an example of the correctionvalue with respect to marginal light attenuation. A dotted lineindicates a characteristic of illumination with respect to the imageheight, and a plot indicates a position in which the illumination valuewith respect to a discrete image height is stored as a correction value.This information relating to the discrete image height is stored in sucha manner that the division point number is stored in the image heightdivision point number hNum of the division point number storage region(a-1) whereas the image height values are stored in the image heightdivision point information h[0] through h[hNum-1] of the division pointinformation storage region (a-3). By making the above set of the imageheight-correction value illustrated in FIG. 9 as one correction valuewith respect to the combination of the optical parameters, thecorrection value storage region (b) stores this correction value withrespect to all combinations of the division points of the opticalparameters stored in the division point information storage region(a-3). In other words, 60 pieces (5×3×4) of correction values are storedtherein if the focal distance division point zNum is 5, the shootingdistance division point number dNum is 3, and the diaphragm divisionpoint number fNum is 4.

Storage order of each correction value in the correction value storageregion (b) needs to be set in advance. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 5, priority order is determined to be the focal distance, thediaphragm, the shooting distance, and thus each parameter value isstored in ascending order. As described above, by setting the storageorder of the correction value in advance, a location where the targetcorrection value is recorded can be identified based on each informationin the division point number storage region (a-1), the informationnumber for each focal distance storage region (a-2), and the divisionpoint information storage region (a-3), stored in the header region (a).

Distortion Aberration and Chromatic Aberration of Magnification

The correction value with respect to the marginal light attenuation hasbeen described above. The optical correction data in a same format canalso be applied to distortion aberration and chromatic aberration ofmagnification. In the example of the correction value illustrated inFIG. 9, the vertical axis represents a distortion amount in a case ofthe correction value with respect to the distortion aberration. On theother hand, the vertical axis can be regarded as a chromatic aberrationamount in a case of the correction value with respect to the chromaticaberration of magnification.

The optical correction data according to the present invention has beendescribed above. The optical correction data is configured such that thedivision point number can be set for each optical parameter, while thedivision points of the shooting distance and the diaphragm can be setaccording to the focal distance. In such a configuration, the opticalcorrection data with high-accuracy and with a size reduced to arequisite minimum according to the optical characteristics of the lensunit can be realized.

Comparison Example

As a method of reducing the size of the optical correction data, thecorrection value according to the selected optical parameter can bestored as the optical correction data by discretely selecting eachoptical parameter instead of storing the correction value of all opticalparameters. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of how thecorrection value is stored in the optical correction data. In theexample, a focal distance from a wide-angle end through a tele-angle endis discretely stored by dividing it into four points, z[0] through z[3],so that z[0] indicates the wide-angle end of the focal distance whereasz[3] indicates the tele-angle end thereof. Similarly, the diaphragm isdivided into four points, f[0] through f[3], and the shooting distanceare divided into four points, d[0] through [d3] to be discretely stored.As illustrated in FIG. 2, correction values corresponding to thecombinations of parameters defined in the header region are sequentiallystored in a correction value storage region of the optical correctiondata. Then, the correction value conforming to the actual shootingcondition is generated based on the discrete correction value stored inthe correction value storage region.

In this way, the size of the correction data can be reduced by storingthe correction value discretely. However, because the correction valueis stored discretely, there may be a case where the correction accuracyis lowered, and the correction cannot be performed correctly. FIG. 6 isa graph illustrating the examples of variability characteristics of themarginal illumination according to the focal distance for the imageheight portions 10 mm and 13 mm. A dotted line indicates illumination asan optical characteristic, a plot indicates a point in the opticalcorrection data where a correction value is stored, and a solid lineindicates a result acquired by linearly interpolating the correctionvalue. The illumination value illustrated in FIG. 6 is a value in whichthe illumination of the central portion of the image is taken as 100.The focal distance of the correction value stored in the opticalcorrection data is set to be four points, z0 through z3. As illustratedin FIG. 6, the variability characteristics of the illumination withrespect to the focal distance indicated by the dotted lines differsignificantly between the image height portions 10 mm and 13 mm.Therefore, the correction value generated from the four points, z0through z3, includes an area which is considerably different from theactual illumination. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, thecorrection value of the focal distance between z0 and z1 is less thanthe actual illumination in the image height portion 10 mm. In this case,the correction is performed based on the illumination less than theactual illumination, and thus, the correction result thereof will beovercorrection.

On the other hand, in the focal distance between z1 and z2overcorrection appears at the image height portion 13 mm. FIGS. 7B and7C are graphs illustrating the examples in which the division positionsz0 through z3 of the focal distance are changed respectively. Bychanging the division positions, the correction accuracy may be improvedin one region of the focal distance region. However, the accuracy may belowered in other regions. In the example illustrated above, linearinterpolation is performed to generate correction values between thecorrection values that are stored discretely. Thus, even if otherinterpolation method using an approximate polynomial is employed, thecorrection accuracy is similarly lowered if the optical characteristicis significantly different in each focal distance.

The correction accuracy can be improved by increasing the division pointnumber of the optical parameter which is stored discretely. However, therelationship between the correction accuracy and the data size shows aso-called “trade-off” relationship. As described above, the method isparticularly beneficial to a single-lens reflex camera in terms of thehardware resources. This is because, with the method, the opticalcorrection data for a plurality of lens units (imaging optical systems)that is attachable to the camera can be stored while the size of theoptical correction data for one lens unit can be reduced.

Acquisition of Shooting State Information

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 4, after the acquisition of the opticalcorrection data in step S201, in step S202, the system controller 110acquires shooting state information. The system controller 110 causesthe state detection unit 107 to acquire the information such as a focaldistance Z, a shooting distance D, and a diaphragm F at the shootingtime, each of which serves as an optical parameter necessary to performthe optical correction.

Generation of Correction Value

Then, in step S203, in order to generate the correction valuecorresponding to the focal distance Z, the shooting distance D, and thediaphragm D serving as the optical parameters at the shooting time, thesystem controller 110 extracts, from the correction values stored in theoptical correction data, a correction value in the proximity of theoptical parameter at the shooting time. Specifically, from among thedivision point information z[ ], d[ ], f[ ] of each of the opticalparameters stored in the optical correction data, the system controller110 respectively detects “nz”, “nd”, and “nf” which satisfy thefollowing conditions.z[nz]<=Z<z[nz+1]  Equation 1(“nz” is “zNum−2” if Z>=z[zNum−1])d[nd]<=1/D<d[nd+1]  Equation 2(“nd” is “dNum−2” if 1/D>=d[dNum−1])f[nf]<=F<f[nf+1]  Equation 3(“nf” is “fNum−2” if F>=f[fNum−1])

Then, the system controller 110 extracts the following eight patterns ofcorrection values “Ps” configured of “nz”, “nd”, and “nf” from thecorrection value storage region (b) of the optical correction data.

P[0][0][0]: a correction value corresponding to (z[nz], d[nd], f[nf])

P[0][0][1]: a correction value corresponding to (z[nz], d[nd], f[nf+1])

P[0][1][0]: a correction value corresponding to (z[nz], d[nd+1], f[nf])

P[0][1][1]: a correction value corresponding to (z[nz], d[nd+1],f[nf+1])

P[1][0][0]: a correction value corresponding to (z[nz+1], d[nd], f[nf])

P[1][0][1]: a correction value corresponding to (z[nz+1], d[nd],f[nf+1])

P[1][1][0]: a correction value corresponding to (z[nz+1], d[nd+1],f[nf])

P[1][1][1]: a correction value corresponding to (z[nz+1], d[nd+1],f[nf+1])

Next, in step S204, the system controller 110 generates a correctionvalue corresponding to the shooting state at the shooting time from theabove extracted eight correction values.

The correction value generation method is executed by interpolating theabove eight correction values. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagramillustrating one example of the method. The eight correction values “Ps”and a correction value “Q” that is to be generated are indicated in athree-dimensional space configured of a focal distance, a shootingdistance, and a diaphragm. In order to generate the correction value“Q”, a correction value “Q1” corresponding to the shooting distance “D”and the diaphragm “F” at the shooting time at the focal distancedivision point z[nz] is generated as follows.Q1=P[0][0][0]×S×(1−T)+P[0][0][1]×S×T+P[0][1][0]×(1−S)×(1−T)+P[0][1][1]×(1−S)×T  Equation4As illustrated in FIG. 10, “S” and “T” in the above equation 4 representweight coefficients according to a positional relationship of each ofthe correction values “Ps” with respect to the correction value “Q1”.

Next, a correction value “Q2” corresponding to the shooting distance “D”and the diaphragm “F” at the shooting time at the focal distancedivision point z[nz+1] is generated as follows.Q2=P[1][0][0]×U×(1−V)+P[1][0][1]×U×V+P[1][1][0]×(1−U)×(1−V)+P[1][1][1]×(1−U)×V  Equation5As illustrated in FIG. 10, “U” and “V” in the above equation 5 representweight coefficients according to a positional relationship of each ofthe correction values “Ps” with respect to the correction value “Q2”.

Thereafter, the target correction value “Q” is generated byinterpolating the correction values “Q1” and “Q2” as follows.Q=Q1×(1−W)+Q2×W  Equation 6Through this, the correction value at the shooting time can be generatedfrom the correction value in the proximity of the optical parameters atthe shooting time. In addition, as described above, the correction valueis a set of a plurality of image heights h0 through h4 and correctionvalues with respect to each image height as illustrated in FIG. 9.Therefore, the above calculation is performed at each of the imageheights h0 through h4. A relationship between the correction value “P”in the proximity of the optical parameter and the generated correctionvalue “Q” at the shooting time at each image height is illustrated in agraph of FIG. 11A.

Optical Correction

Next, in step S205, the system controller 110 performs opticalcorrection based on the generated correction value serving as thecorrection information at the shooting time. As illustrated in FIG. 11B,the generated correction value is a discrete correction amount at eachof the image heights h0 through h4. Therefore, a correction curverelative to the image height can be acquired by approximating thecorrection amount by a polynomial equation.

A correction method through image processing will be described by takingthe marginal light attenuation as an example. First, an image height, adistance from a central position of the image, is acquired for acorrection target pixel, and illumination of a target image height isacquired from a generated correction curve. Next, an inverse number ofthe illumination is acquired, and gain according to the acquired inversenumber is applied to a pixel value thereof. By performing the aboveprocessing on the entire pixels in the image, the marginal lightattenuation can be corrected. FIGS. 12A through 12F are graphsillustrating the effect of the marginal light attenuation correctionaccording to the present invention. Each of the graphs in FIGS. 12Athrough 12F illustrates an image height and brightness of an objectimage at the shooting time when the object with uniform luminance iscaptured while the brightness at the center of the image is 100. FIG.12A illustrates a state in which the marginal light attenuation isgenerated due to the characteristics of the optical system. When theimage processing is performed on an image, if the division point numberof the optical correction data is not sufficient and cannot follow theoptical characteristics in an appropriate manner, over-correction orunder-correction of a part of the image as illustrated in FIGS. 12Cthrough 12F may occur, and thus, this may result in an image withunnatural brightness that is different from the original brightness ofthe object. On the contrary, as illustrated in FIG. 12B, when thecorrection is performed by the image capturing apparatus according tothe present invention, brightness of the image becomes approximately 100in the entire image height, and thus the image corrected with highaccuracy can be acquired.

The correction method of the marginal light attenuation has beendescribed as the above. Although detailed descriptions of the imageprocessing for the correction of distortion aberration and chromaticaberration of magnification will be omitted, a general flow is similarto the above-described, in which the correction is performed byacquiring the correction curve with respect to the image height.

In this manner, with the image capturing apparatus according to thepresent invention, the correction can be performed with high accuracywhile reducing the size of the optical correction data to a requisiteminimum. By reducing the size of the optical correction data, a memorycapacity for storing the optical correction data in the camera can bereduced. In addition, when the optical correction data is transferredfrom the lens unit to the camera, the transfer time can be reduced.

Although the exemplary embodiments relating to the image capturingapparatus according to the present invention have been described above,many variations and modifications of the image capturing apparatusaccording to the present invention are possible without departing fromthe essential spirit of the invention.

A second exemplary embodiment to which the present invention is appliedwill be described below.

The present exemplary embodiment relates to an image processingapparatus configured to perform correction on an image captured by animage capturing apparatus to correct image deterioration caused by theoptical characteristics of an optical system employed to capture theimage.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the imageprocessing apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment.

An image captured by the image capturing apparatus is stored in an imagerecording medium 109. An image processing unit 104 is configured of anoptical correction unit 111 and other image processing unit 112 thatperforms predetermined processing. The image processing unit 104performs image processing with respect to an image stored in the imagerecording medium 109. The optical correction unit 111 corrects the imagedeterioration caused by the optical characteristics of the imagecapturing lens by performing image processing. Further, the other imageprocessing unit 112 performs a series of image processing such as pixelinterpolation processing, luminance signal processing, and color signalprocessing.

The optical correction data for correcting the image deteriorationcaused by the optical characteristics is stored in a storage unit 108.In the image processing apparatus, images captured by a plurality ofoptical systems will be the correction targets. Therefore, the opticalcorrection data for the plurality of optical systems is stored in thestorage unit 108 in a file format.

The output image processed by the image processing unit 104 is stored inthe image recording medium 109 in a predetermined format. Further, theimage processed by the image processing unit 104 is displayed on adisplay unit 105.

A system controller 110 performs a series of control processing.

Details of the optical correction processing according to the presentinvention will be described based on the flow of optical correctionprocessing illustrated in FIG. 14 performed by the image capturingapparatus according to the present invention.

In step S301, the system controller 110 selects the optical correctiondata necessary to perform the optical correction processing. The systemcontroller 110 selects the optical correction data of the lens withwhich the correction target image is captured from among the opticalcorrection data about a plurality of lenses stored in the storage unit108. Therefore, the storage unit 108 of the image processing apparatusalso stores an optical correction data reference table illustrated inFIG. 15. According to the table, the optical correction data of the lensto be used for the correction target image can be identified. Aconfiguration of the optical correction data for each lens is the sameas that of the optical correction data illustrated in the firstexemplary embodiment.

Next, in step S302, the system controller 110 acquires shooting stateinformation such as a focal distance, a shooting distance, and adiaphragm at the shooting time when the correction target image iscaptured. In a case where the information is stored in an image file atthe time of capturing the image, the system controller 110 acquires theinformation by reading the information therefrom. In a case where theinformation is not stored in the image file, the system controller 110acquires the information by causing a user to input the informationthrough an input unit (not illustrated).

The same processing performed in steps S203, S204, and S205 in the firstexemplary embodiment will be performed respectively in step S303(extracting a correction value in the proximity of a shooting state),step S304 (generating a correction value corresponding to a shootingstate), and step S305 (performing correction).

As described above, by making the optical correction data in the imageprocessing apparatus have the same format as that in the first exemplaryembodiment, the size of the optical correction data can be reduced, andthe correction with high accuracy can be performed. Specifically, byemploying the data structure capable of setting the division pointnumber for each optical parameter, further capable of setting thedivision points of the shooting distance and the diaphragm according tothe focal distance, the optical correction data with high-accuracy whosesize is reduced to a requisite minimum according to the opticalcharacteristics can be realized. By reducing the size of the data to arequisite minimum, a memory capacity required for the storage unit 108of the image processing apparatus can be reduced. In addition, by usingthe same optical correction data as that in the image capturingapparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment, the imageprocessing apparatus whose correction result can completely conform tothat of the image capturing apparatus can be realized.

Other Embodiments

Embodiments of the present invention can also be realized by a computerof a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executableinstructions recorded on a storage medium (e.g., non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium) to perform the functions of one ormore of the above-described embodiment(s) of the present invention, andby a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing the computer executable instructionsfrom the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more ofa central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU), or othercircuitry, and may include a network of separate computers or separatecomputer processors. The computer executable instructions may beprovided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storagemedium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of ahard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), astorage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as acompact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)(Trademark)), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all modifications, equivalent structures, and functions.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A storage configured to store data to betransmitted to a processor in a file format, the data including (a)first information indicating a first number which is a number of firstoptical parameter values, (b) second information indicating a secondnumber which is a number of second optical parameter values included ina set of second optical parameter values, (c) third informationindicating a third number which is a number of sets of second opticalparameter values, (d) information indicating the first optical parametervalues, (e) information indicating the second optical parameter values,and (f) information indicating correction values based on combinationsof the first optical parameter values and the second optical parametervalues, wherein the information indicating the second optical parametervalues includes the third number of sets of second optical parametervalues, and wherein the first optical parameter values and the secondoptical parameter values are discretely configured.
 2. The storageaccording to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the number indicated bythe third information is equal to the first number, the data includesthe first number of sets of the second optical parameter values withrespect to each of the first optical parameter values.
 3. The storageaccording to claim 2, wherein at least one of the second opticalparameter values of a first set of second optical parameter values isdifferent from any of second optical parameter values included in asecond set of second optical parameter values in a case where the thirdnumber is equal to the first number, wherein the first set and thesecond set each corresponds to different first optical parameter values.4. The storage according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the thirdnumber indicates 1, the data includes one set of second opticalparameter values, and the one set of second optical parameter valuescorresponds to each of the first optical parameter values.
 5. Thestorage according to claim 1, wherein the data further includes fourthinformation indicating a number of sets of third optical parametervalues with respect to the first optical parameter values, wherein thecorrection values are based on combinations of the first opticalparameter values, the second optical parameter values, and the thirdoptical parameter values.
 6. The storage according to claim 5, whereinthe first optical parameter values correspond to focal distance values,the second optical parameter values correspond to shooting distancevalues, and the third optical parameter values correspond to diaphragmvalues.
 7. The storage according to claim 5, wherein the first opticalparameter values correspond to focal distance values, the second opticalparameter values correspond to diaphragm values, and the third opticalparameter values correspond to shooting distance values.
 8. The storageaccording to claim 5, wherein the third optical parameter values arediscretely configured.
 9. The storage according to claim 1, wherein thefirst optical parameter values correspond to focal distance values. 10.The storage according to claim 9, wherein the second optical parametervalues correspond to shooting distance values.
 11. The storage accordingto claim 9, wherein the second optical parameter values correspond todiaphragm values.
 12. The storage according to claim 1, wherein the datafurther includes information corresponding to image height values, andthe correction values for each of the image height values.
 13. Thestorage according to claim 1, wherein the data is used for correcting animage captured using a lens device corresponding to the data.
 14. Thestorage according to claim 1, wherein the storage stores a plurality ofpieces of data respectively corresponding to a lens device in the fileformat, and a file of the data corresponding to a selected lens deviceis transmitted.
 15. The storage according to claim 1, wherein in a casewhere the data includes a plurality of sets of the second opticalparameter values, each of the sets of the second optical parametervalues has the second optical parameter values of the second numberindicated by the second information.
 16. The storage according to claim1, wherein each of the storage and the processor are provided within aseparate apparatus.
 17. The storage according to claim 1, wherein thestorage is provided within a lens unit, and the the processor isprovided within an imageing apparatus.
 18. A method of transmitting datain a file format to a processor, wherein the transmitted data includes(a) first information indicating a first number which is a number offirst optical parameter values, (b) second information indicating asecond number which is a number of second optical parameter valuesincluded in a set of second optical parameter values, (c) thirdinformation indicating a third number which is a number of sets ofsecond optical parameter values, (d) information indicating the firstoptical parameter values, (e) information indicating the second opticalparameter values, and (f) information indicating correction values basedon combinations of the first optical parameter values and the secondoptical parameter values, wherein the information indicating the secondoptical parameter values includes the third number of sets of secondoptical parameter values, and wherein the first optical parameter valuesand the second optical parameter values are discretely configured.
 19. Anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computerprogram for causing a computer to execute steps of the method accordingto claim
 18. 20. The method according to claim 18, wherein, in thetransmitting, a filed of the data selected from among a plurality ofpieces of data stored in a storage in the file format is transmitted.21. The method according to claim 18, wherein, in a case where thenumber indicated by the third information is equal to the first number,the data includes the first number of sets of the second opticalparameter values with respect to each of the first optical parametervalues.
 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein at least one ofthe second optical parameter values of a first set of second opticalparameter values is different from any of second optical parametervalues included in a second set of second optical parameter values in acase where the third number is equal to the first number, wherein thefirst set and the second set each corresponds to different first opticalparameter.
 23. The method according to claim 18, wherein, in a casewhere the third number corresponds to 1, the data includes one set ofsecond optical parameter values, and the one set of second opticalparameter values corresponds to each of the first optical parametervalues.
 24. The method according to claim 18, wherein the data furtherincludes fourth information indicating a number of sets of third opticalparameter values with respect to the first optical parameter values,wherein the correction values are based on combinations of the firstoptical parameter values, the second optical parameter values, and thethird optical parameter values.
 25. The method according to claim 24,wherein the first optical parameter values correspond to focal distancevalues, the second optical parameter values correspond to shootingdistance values, and the third optical parameter values correspond todiaphragm values.
 26. The method according to claim 24, wherein thefirst optical parameter values correspond to focal distance values, thesecond optical parameter values correspond to diaphragm values, and thethird optical parameter values correspond to shooting distance values.27. The method according to claim 24, wherein the third opticalparameter values are discretely configured.
 28. The method according toclaim 18, wherein the first optical parameter values correspond to focaldistance values.
 29. The method according to claim 28, wherein thesecond optical parameter values correspond to shooting distance values.30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the second opticalparameter values correspond to diaphragm values.
 31. The methodaccording to claim 18, wherein the data further includes informationcorresponding to image height values, and the correction values for eachof the image height values.
 32. A system comprising a storage configuredto store data in a file format, wherein the data includes (a) firstinformation indicating a first number which is a number of first opticalparameter values, (b) second information indicating a second numberwhich is a number of second optical parameter values included in a setof second optical parameter values, (c) third information indicating athird number which is a number of sets of second optical parametervalues, (d) information indicating the first optical parameter values,(e) information indicating the second optical parameter values, and (f)information indicating correction values based on combinations of thefirst optical parameter values and the second optical parameter values,wherein the information indicating the second optical parameter valuesincludes the third number of sets of second optical parameter values,and wherein the first optical parameter values and the second opticalparameter values are discretely configured.
 33. A processing apparatus,comprising: a processor which acquires data and performs an imagecorrection process using the data, wherein the data includes (a) firstinformation indicating a first number which is a number of first opticalparameter values, (b) second information indicating a second numberwhich is a number of second optical parameter values included in a setof second optical parameter values, (c) third information indicating athird number which is a number of sets of second optical parametervalues, (d) information indicating the first optical parameter values,(e) information indicating the second optical parameter values, and (f)information indicating correction values based on combinations of thefirst optical parameter values and the second optical parameter values,wherein the information indicating the second optical parameter valuesincludes the third number of sets of second optical parameter values,and wherein the first optical parameter values and the second opticalparameter values are discretely configured.
 34. The processing apparatusaccording to claim 33, wherein, in a case where the third number isequal to the first number, the data includes the first number of sets ofsecond optical parameter values with respect to each of the firstoptical parameter values.
 35. The processing apparatus according toclaim 34, wherein at least one of the second optical parameter values ofa first set of second optical parameter values is different from any ofsecond optical parameter values included in a second set of secondoptical parameter values in a case where the third number is equal tothe first number, wherein the first set and the second set eachcorresponds to a different first optical parameter value.
 36. Theprocessing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein, in a case where thethird number indicates 1, the data includes one set of second opticalparameter values, and the one set of second optical parameter valuescorresponds to each of the first optical parameter values.
 37. Theprocessing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the data furtherincludes fourth information indicating a number of sets of third opticalparameter values with respect to the first optical parameter values,wherein the correction values are based on combinations of the firstoptical parameter values, the second optical parameter values, and thethird optical parameter values.
 38. The processing apparatus accordingto claim 37, wherein the first optical parameter values correspond tofocal distance values, the second optical parameter values correspond toshooting distance values, and the third optical parameter valuescorrespond to diaphragm values.
 39. The processing apparatus accordingto claim 37, wherein the first optical parameter values correspond tofocal distance values, the second optical parameter values correspond todiaphragm values, and the third optical parameter values correspond toshooting distance values.
 40. The processing apparatus according toclaim 37, wherein the third optical parameter values are discretelyconfigured.
 41. The processing apparatus according to claim 33, whereinthe first optical parameter values correspond to focal distance values.42. The processing apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the secondoptical parameter values correspond to shooting distance values.
 43. Theprocessing apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the second opticalparameter values correspond to diaphragm values.
 44. The processingapparatus according to claim 33, wherein the data further includesinformation corresponding to image height values, and the correctionvalues for each of the image height values.
 45. The processing apparatusaccording to claim 33, wherein the processor performs the imagecorrection process to an image, using the correction values included inthe data.
 46. The processing apparatus according to claim 45, whereinthe processor acquires a first optical parameter value and a secondoptical parameter value at a time when the image was shot and performsthe image correction process using the correction values based on acombination of the first optical parameter value and the second opticalparameter value of the data corresponding to the first optical parametervalue and the second optical parameter value at the time when the imagewas shot.
 47. The processing apparatus according to claim 33, whereinthe processor is configured to acquire the data from a lens unit. 48.The processing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the processor isconfigured to acquire the data from an external apparatus.
 49. Theprocessing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the processor isconfigured to acquire the data from an external apparatus.
 50. Theprocessing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the processor isprovided within an imaging apparatus, and the imaging apparatus isconfigured to acquire the data from a lens unit.
 51. A processing methodcomprising: acquiring data including (a) first information indicating afirst number which is a number of first optical parameter values, (b)second information indicating a second number which is a number ofsecond optical parameter values included in a set of second opticalparameter values, (c) third information indicating a third number whichis a number of sets of second optical parameter values, (d) informationindicating the first optical parameter values, (e) informationindicating the second optical parameter values, and (f) informationindicating correction values based on combinations of the first opticalparameter values and the second optical parameter values, wherein theinformation indicating the second optical parameter values includes thethird number of sets of second optical parameter values, and wherein thefirst optical parameter values and the second optical parameter valuesare discretely configured; and performing image correction processingusing the data.
 52. A non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumstoring a computer program for causing a computer to execute steps ofthe processing method according to claim 51.